Putting God's Word into Practice…

Deuteronomy 2 ~ From Wilderness to Battlefield

by dailybiblereader2012 on October 25, 2014

For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing. (Deut. 2:7)

Wow! What an amazing God! Although God sent them back into the wilderness for 40 years, He did not abandon them. He continued to see each step they took, and to provide for their needs all along the way. God is faithful, even when we are faithless. It’s who He is, and He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13) Even when we are disciplined and have to face consequences for our poor decisions; He is still God, and He is still good.

As God started to lead the Israelites back towards the promised land for the next generation to take hold of it, they had to pass through other countries’ territories. God told them over and over, “Don’t take that land, I gave it to…” The Lord helped Esau’s and Lot’s families take possession of the land He had chosen for them. He aided them in overthrowing people much taller and stronger than themselves and cities more fortified than they were equipped to seize. God wanted to do the same thing for His people, the Israelites, but they were rebellious, fearful, and unbelieving. Nothing is too big for God! He raises up and brings down kingdoms. He is sovereign over kings and nations. And no one can thwart His plans.

The Israelites proceeded towards the promised land in accordance with the commands of the Lord. The Lord “had begun” to give them the land, but a battle still needed to take place. However, they had a choice as to how they would fight those battles. When we are following God, we will have battles too. When we try to fight on our own; the results are drawn-out, painful and devastating (Deut. 1:42-44) When we surrender to Him and let Him do the fighting, we have victory (Deut. 2:36).

Did God make a promise to you that is taking longer to come to fruition because of your fear and unfaithfulness?

If you are in the “wilderness” because of poor choices, do you recognize God’s protection and provision even there?

Do you believe that God is bigger than your biggest adversary and stronger than your strongest stronghold?

Are you letting God fight your battles, or are you trying to fight in your own strength?

“Rise up and set out on your journey…” Don’t wallow in the wilderness; begin a battle! With God all things are possible!

P.S. Going from the wilderness into the battlefield is a recurring theme of the Bible. Even Jesus, spent time in the wilderness before engaging His mission to achieve victory over sin for all mankind.